| Gettin' oily
By Julie Kypreos
Special to the Coastal Point
Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing
Submitted by Ann Marie Grove
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together with a wisk or pump style mixer. The mustard will act as a thickener and keep dressing from separating. If you prefer a stronger dressing, omit maple syrup.
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Seared Salmon with Orange Glaze
Submitted by Ann Marie Grove
6 6-ounce salmon fillets
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons sherry
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 slices orange.
Preheat oven to 400F. Sear the fish fillets in the sesame oil in a large, very hot skillet for 1 minute on each side. You should hear the fish sizzle. Remove fillets from the heat and transfer them to a glass baking dish or baking pan. Drizzle soy sauce and wine over them and bake for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven.
Meanwhile, heat the orange juice, zest, sherry, and ginger together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Add the orange slices, and stir once or twice, until the sauce becomes thick. Remove from heat, drizzle the sauce over the fish and serve.
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The Tin man would be happy with any oil. But for those of us who do not live in Oz, it is important to have some basic facts on cooking oils before picking which one to use. As a matter of fact, some oils should not even be used for cooking but saved for salad dressings and flavoring.
Without going into too much detail, one should have a basic understanding of what is a “good” fat verses a “bad” fat. A good fat is either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL and total cholesterol and raise HDL, which is the good cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats lower total and LDL cholesterol as well. The bad fats are saturated and trans fats, which both raise LDL and total cholesterol. One important thing to remember is that good or bad; all cooking oils are 100 percent fat. And although some fat is important in one’s diet, using too much of a “good” fat can still lead to obesity and other health issues.
We all know by now to stay away from packaged foods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. These are the really bad trans fatty acids. Try to eat only foods that contain mono- or polyunsaturated fats. If you are cooking or baking, some examples of good oils are canola, flax seed, peanut, olive, safflower, sunflower and corn oil. Some to avoid are vegetable shortening, margarine, palm and coconut oil.
Two other terms that are important to know when choosing your oil are smoke and flash points. The smoke point is the temperature to which the oil can be heated before it begins to decompose. If your oil begins to smoke when cooking, you have reached the smoke point. Although this could just be creating a bad taste in your food, it is possible that you are close to the flash point, which is actually dangerous. The flash point is the cause of many kitchen fires. This is when fire erupts from the surface and can quickly get out of control. If this should ever happen to you, use a foam fire extinguisher or baking soda to put out the fire. Never, ever, use water.
If you are deep-frying, chose an oil with a high smoke and flash point. It is best to use sunflower, safflower or peanut oil. Almond oil is a great option for frying, but it can be very expensive and loses its flavor. Although it may be a somewhat contradictory, I personally use olive oil for frying. It is not recommended because of its flash point, but if you are very careful and constantly monitor your temperature it can be a very healthy option. It also changes the flavor of the food slightly but that is far more acceptable to my family because of the health benefits.
There is more versatility when choosing a baking oil. Again, I use olive oil for all of my baking. This is not a common practice, but I am married to a Greek and surprise, we use olive oil for everything!!!! Many people chose not to use olive oil to bake with because of its flavor, but it is the healthiest of all oils. Some other good baking oils are sunflower and safflower. And there is always the option of using butter which studies now show is actually healthier than margarine or the other “bad” oils.
If sautéing, choose your fat based on what type of dish you are making. If you want to add flavor, use a small amount of butter in combination with an oil. Olive oil, sesame, grape seed and almond oil are all good choices for sautéing. Just be careful to not let your dish get too hot and burn the oil you are using. If the oil is smoking, you have damaged it and your dish will probably have an unpleasant taste.
When making a salad dressing or using an oil for flavoring, it is best to choose something more delicate and flavorful. Some great options are almond, avocado, extra virgin olive and sesame oil. Sesame oil is more versatile and can also be used for frying. It comes in two forms: light and dark. The light is used for frying where the dark is used mostly to add flavor to foods.
When choosing your oil there are many factors to consider. What is the type of cooking you are doing? What is the amount of oil you will need? Can you substitute a more healthy oil (like olive oil) in place of what your recipe calls for? There are far more choices than most people realize. Most kitchens have a standard vegetable oil, usually a blend or soybean based. These are usually made to be versatile and inexpensive. Although it is fine to have your tried and true oil, it is a good idea to have some small quantities of different oils to experiment with. You might find a healthier alternative to what you currently use or make more oil specific dishes. And then there is always olive oil!
Some examples of Smoke Points:
Almond 495 F
Avocado 520 F
Canola 400 F
Corn 450 F
Grape Seed 400 F
Olive 325 F
Peanut 450 F
Safflower 450 F
Sesame 410 F
Soybean 450 F
Sunflower 450 F
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